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Operator: Logozinskaya Olga +38 (044) 227-1127 +38 (050) 386-2013 ICQ: skype: e-mail: sale@flowers4u.com.ua |
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The beautiful gerbera appeared on the flower theatre stage relatively recently, in late 19th
century. However, it took this bright but somewhat simple savage just a 100 years to turn into a
glamorous prima donna, having occupied a very dignified place some flowers failed to reach for
several centuries. The story of the gerbera is a typical story of an ugly duckling. The scientific
world first heard about this flower from E Gronovius, a botanist who worked in Laiden. This
event happened in 1717 but was hardly noticed and even the name was given to the flower 20
years later, in honour of the German doctor and botanist Traugott Gerber. For about 150 years modest gerbers attracted the attention of botanists and collectors, who sometimes managed to preserve nature species in European gardens. When they were brought from their native countries they seldom acclimatised or died when grown from seeds Gerbera was treated differently after its new variety was discovered in the South Africa in 1878. The expedition sent to look for gold included a Scottish plant collector Robert Jemson, who was attracted by pretty delicate bright flowers. For some reason he did not send them to Europe but presented them to a local botanical garden. Having travelled from garden to garden the so-called Transvall daisy received its official name as Gerbera jemsonii. Soon after that gerbera was sent to England to Cambridge and Kew Gardens, where its history as an exotic flower started. The pretty African daisy attracted both botanists and flower growers. It looks like our dandelion only 3-4 times bigger. Soon enough gerberas were of interest in other European countries. By the end of XIX century they were grown in Great Britain, Belgium, Germany, Italy and in the USA. By 1909 admirers of this new elegant flower crossed more than 3 thousand English hybrids with African varieties, received many plants of new colours, larger inflorescence and tall slim stems suitable for cutting. In 1928 a new double gerbera with a 15-sm inflorescence, which looked like an aster, was received. Double and semi-double flowers were used in flower arrangements. Nowadays the gerbera is one of the world’s most popular ornamental flowers along with the rose, chrysanthemum, carnation and tulip. By 1991 the gerbera was in the top ten most popular plants sold at the Dutch flower auction. Gerbera is a universal flower. It is suitable both for grand compositions in large halls and for smaller arrangements. It is widely used by ikebana masters and supporters of the European style to make a magnificent festive bouquet and an elegant children’s arrangement. The African ‘daisy’ is available throughout the year. Even in summer, when traditionally the demand for all cut flowers decreases, the gerbera remains popular. It has been noted that in winter bright orange and red flowers are popular, while in spring and summer soft pastel colours are in demand. Gerbera is a very tender and delicate flower. Although the rose is recognised as the queen of flowers, it is the gerbera that requires special transportation conditions. The way from the greenhouse to the vase is actually ‘covered with carpets’. Flowers are not cut but broken, they must be in full blossom rather than in buds, a traditional form for the transportation of the majority of flowers. Flowers with unripened pollen die very quickly. They are then placed on special cardboard bed, where each flower is allocated a place. After transportation they are not to be just put into water, what happens to other flowers. Flowers are suspended in water for their weakened stems not to be ‘troubled’ by the weight of the florescence. Experienced florists advise to cut delicate stems with thin sharp blade rather than garden clippers. www.gerbera.com: Gerbera in house For gerberas to stay fresh for 10-16 days special treatment is required:
The vase life of this beautiful ‘daisy’ depends not only on the correct care but on the flower variety. Semi-double and wide petal flowers last longer than narrow-petal ones, small flowers last longer than large. Orange-coloured varieties last longer – the red orange Lion King can last up to 18-20 days in a bouquet. |
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